The Zamfara House of Assembly declared in Gusau on Tuesday that no court order could stop its impeachment of the state’s Deputy Governor, Mahdi Aliyu-Gusau.
“No court can stop the impeachment,’’ Chairman, House Committee on Information, Shamsudeen Bosko, told a news conference.
He argued that the process was in line with Section 188 (5) (7) of the country’s 1999 Constitution.
According to him, 18 of the 24 legislators voted in favour of the impeachment when allegations of financial misconduct, insubordination, and failure to perform assigned duties were filed against Aliyu-Gusau.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday warned the Zamfara House of Assembly against the plan to impeach the deputy governor.
Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the warning after Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the deputy governor, prayed the court to restrain the lawmakers from carrying out the plan.
Justice Ekwo did not specifically give the restraining order.
He, however, held that since parties in the suit had subjected themselves to the court’s jurisdiction, no party should take any action during the pendency of the matter.
The House, in carrying out its plan, requested the Chief Judge of Zamfara, Justice Kulu Aliyu, to constitute a seven-member committee to investigate the deputy governor.
Justice Aliyu on Monday inaugurated a seven-man panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct and abuse of office against Aliyu-Gusau.
The Assembly had at its sitting on Feb. 7, served the deputy governor with a notice of impeachment for alleged gross misconduct and abuse of office.
The seven-man panel of investigation has retired Justice Halidu Tanko-Soba as Chairman.
Members are Oladipo Opeseyi (SAN), Abrahim Abdul-Atadoga (SAN), Hussaini Zakariyau (SAN), Amina Tanimu-Marafa, Alhaji Sani Mande, and Ahmad Buhari-Rabah.
Inaugurating the panel, Justice Aliyu said it was in line with Section 188(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
Meanwhile, the lawmakers said that the House was investigating some of its members for allegedly collecting bribes to thwart the impeachment.
“The State Assembly has agreed that some members received hard currency to shelve the impeachment of the deputy governor and we are investigating them and we will make our findings public,’’ Bosko said.
Mr Bosko alluded to an allegation of misappropriation N31 billion Security Votes against Gov. Bello Matawalle, but said there was no formal petition on the issue before the House.
He challenged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which made the allegation to submit a petition against the governor if it was sure of its allegation.